Phlox plant named ‘Sunphlosupapi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Sunphlosupapi’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering habit; long flowering period; light pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox drummondii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNPHLOSUPAPI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant, botanically known as Phlox drummondii and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Sunphlosupapi’.

The new Phlox plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of aproprietary selection of Phlox drummondii identified as code number0Ph-18a-M, not patented. The new Phlox was discovered and selected bythe Inventor from within a population of plants of the parent selectionin a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan inAugust, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by cuttings in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since September,2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunphlosupapi’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunphlosupapi’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Phlox:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching and flowering habit.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Light pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the parent selectionprimarily in flower color as plants of the parent selection havewhite-colored flowers with red purple-colored central star.

Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of Phloxdrummondii ‘Sunphlopin’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,361. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Phlox and ‘Sunphlopin’ differed in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox had thicker stems than plants of        ‘Sunphlopin’.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox had shorter internodes than plants of        ‘Sunphlopin’.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox had smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Sunphlopin’.    -   4. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Sunphlopin’ differed in flower        color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Phlox, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunphlosupapi’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Sunphlosupapi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, undercommercial practice during the late summer in an outdoor nursery withday temperatures averaging 23° C. and night temperatures averaging 13°C. Plants had been growing for seven months when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox drummondii ‘Sunphlosupapi’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary    selection of Phlox drummondii identified as code number 0Ph-18a-M,    not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About two to three weeks at 20° C.            to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About one to two            months at 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant            habit, mounding form; vigorous growth habit; freely            branching habit with lateral branches potentially developing            at every node; pinching enhances branching.        -   Plant height.—About 25.6 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 39.8 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 25.8 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 8 mm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate to cordate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137B; venation, close to 145C. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,            close to 145C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single rotate flowers arranged in            terminal and axillary cymes; flowers face mostly upright.            Cymes roughly hemispherical in shape. Freely flowering habit            with about three open flowers per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from spring            to autumn in Japan.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.45 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.            Shape: Clavate. Color: Close to 155A.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.4 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.6 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 5.8 cm.        -   Tube length.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Tube diameter, base.—About 2.3 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Length:            About 1.33 cm. Lobe width: About 1.34 cm. Shape: Broadly            rhombic. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces and throat: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, tube:            Pubescent. Color: Developing and fully expanded petals,            upper surface: Close to 69D overlain with streaks of 83B;            towards the center, between 61A and 59A. Developing and            fully expanded petals, lower surface: Close to 69D. Throat:            Close to 186D. Tube: Close to 146D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; calyx star-shaped. Length:            About 3.3 mm. Width: About 1.4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, developing and fully expanded            sepals, upper surface: Close to 137C. Color, developing and            fully expanded sepals, lower surface: Close to 137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm to 10 mm. Diameter: About            1 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to            145B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 145B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Stamen length: About 3.5 mm to 7.3 mm. Anther shape:            Lanceolate. Anther size: About 1.6 mm by 0.5 mm. Anther            color: Close to 12A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 15B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 5.1 mm. Stigma shape: Three-parted. Stigma            color: Close to 1C. Style color: Close to 145C. Ovary color:            Close to 143C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the Phlox have not been observed    to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Sunphlosupapi’ as illustratedand described.